Menopause - A Normal, Natural Event

Menopause is a normal natural event that every woman experiences.  It is diagnosed by the lack of a menses (your period) for 12 consecutive months.  In the United States menopause generally occurs between the ages of 40 and 58, with an average age of 51 years old.  Women who smoke or who have not had a child tend to experience menopause earlier while overweight women, those who have had children, and those that have used hormonal contraception tend to reach menopause later.  There is also a suspected genetic link to the age at which a woman will experience menopause with a woman being more likely to be menopausal around the same age as her mother and sisters.

Whether naturally-occurring, surgically-induced, or premature (before the age of 40), menopause represents the end of fertility.  It is associated with the reduced functioning of the ovaries which decreases the amount of ovarian hormones, most notably estrogen.  It is this decreased amount of estrogen that can cause such symptoms as hot flashes, warm flushes, night sweats and vaginal changes.  Approximately 85% of women will experience hot flashes in menopause.  Decreased estrogen also increases a woman’s risk of osteoporosis.  Other life factors such a medical history and stress level can influence a women’s experience in menopause.

Every woman is different and each woman’s experience of menopause is unique.  Some of the changes women experience during this transition are directly related to menopause and the associated estrogen deficiency.  Other symptoms and changes can be related to the natural aging process or other medical problems also commonly diagnosed during this time in life such as diabetes, thyroid disorders, and obesity.  Perimenopause (the period of years before and surrounding the diagnosis of menopause) and menopause are most often diagnosed by a history and physical with a health care provider.  Generally blood work and diagnostic tests are not necessary.  If there is concern that a woman’s symptoms may be related to another medical problem, tests may be done to confirm the correct diagnosis.